Earthquake rattles Iran's southern nuclear province

State media says quake felt in Bahrain and other Gulf states

Iran sits on major fault lines and is vulnerable to near-daily earthquakes.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake on Thursday struck Iran's southern province of Bushehr, which is home to a nuclear power plant, state television reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency, citing officials, described the quake as a magnitude 5.9. Varying magnitudes are common immediately after a temblor.

"The quake hit the Kaki area in the province this morning," the news agency said.

Many houses in rural parts of the province are made of mud bricks, which have been known to crumble easily in quake-prone Iran.

Iran sits on major fault lines and is vulnerable to near-daily earthquakes.

In 2003, a 6.6-magnitude quake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.
In Bahrain, an island kingdom off Saudi Arabia, people on social media said they felt the quake and evacuated from high-rise buildings.

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